First route of the year.

Today I did my first route of the year. I've spent muchos time working projects without actually ticking (or indeed trying) anything at a slightly more rapidly achievable level. Which is fine, but it's nice to actually get a tick for all the effort expended thus far.
Anyway last week I spent a day mostly avoiding climbing by indulging in an epic bolting job for a new (probably very hard) line. But I did also venture to Trollers Gill where I had one quick toprope of Smouldering Globules Of Lust (previously of 7b+ fame but recently upgraded to 7c). Then on Sunday I found myself at Trollers once again. This time I managed to avoid climbing for most of the day by indulging in daddy daycare activities. However as a warm-up/main event/warm-down all in one combo I had a redpoint of Smouldering. It was all going swimmingly until I fluffed up a reachy clip. My mojo was blow-joed and I fell off the next move after spending an inordinate amount of time on the clip. Bah, oh well.
Today I was once again at Trollers, again the warm-up was a redpoint on Smouldering. This time it all went pretty easily, hell I was even putting the clips in on the top half, get me. Anyway on paper it sounds a bit naff, 7c in three sessions. But the reality is it's gone in three attempts (not counting a very brief failure at the start with a bogus sequence some time last year). Reasonably happy with that.
Also worked a new sequence on The Tinderbox, Andy's new route from last year. It has recently lost a hold on the crux so needed a new approach and I got a workable method and had a couple of redpoint attempts but weepy skin coupled with poor conditions meant no dice. This was originally given 7c+ but I think it is now going to be 8a. In fact I think it probably always was 8a but what do I know? When it comes to sport grades almost certainly not enough...